Stilettos at Stourhead

Depending on how long you've been reading my blog, you may remember my short travel account of visiting The National Trust's Stourhead last Spring.  I came away entirely convinced that no other time of year's visit to Stourhead could possibly compete with that of the warmer months.  However, when visiting this past week in close-to-freezing temperatures, I was proved wrong - very wrong!  A gorgeous pair of Carvela Kurt Geiger Kiara Heels found themselves on my feet thanks to House of Fraser and I knew exactly the location I wanted to introduce them to...

Buried deep in the expansive grounds of Stourhead's Gardens is the iconic Pantheon designed by famous architect Henry Flitcroft.  Most of these photos were taken on the handful of steps leading up to the 18th-Century building, a viewpoint that offered a breathtakingly beautiful view of the lake.  Just like the many other National Trust properties and grounds scattered across England, Stourhead has an undeniable charm and one that welcomes stilettos and fur-trimmed red coats with open arms - at least on the flat-surfaced steps of its historic Pantheon!

Coat - Karen Millen

Tights - Falke Pure Matt Tights

Shoes - Carvela Kurt Geiger Kiara Heels c/o

Gloves - Oliver Bonas

I picked up this Karen Millen faux fur-trimmed coat a couple of years ago and have continued to wear it just a handful of times since; this was mainly due to having assigned a strict list of rules to the knee-length beauty.  Hair needed to be worn trailing down the back, jeans/trousers were out of the question and it absolutely had to be styled with heels and I mean very high heels.  Combine these rules with the picturesque grounds of Stourhead and I'm relieved to have not gone overboard with 'closet clearouts' since the coat's purchase!  

The gardens of Stourhead are still firmly up there on my list of favourite places to visit in the UK; the various buildings scattered around the lake, the friendly 'hello's' from everyone you pass and the colourful reflections on the lake's surface. Most of all, however, I love how the place seems to draw the best out of each season - it's truly the ideal location to photograph anything at all and yes, that includes fur-trimmed coats and satin peeptoe stilettos!

Stourhead 
Stourton
Wiltshire
BA12 6QF

With love,

Gabrielle x